Classifier and dewaterer.



W. J. BOUDWIN. CLA SSIFIER AND DEWATERER. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 10, I915; RENEWED JULY 25, 1916.

W. J. BOUDWIN. CLASYSIFIER AND DEWATERER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. 1915. RENEWED JULY 25, l9l6- Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

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WALKER J. oUnwIN, or sALT LAKE oI Tr, UTAE, AssreNon or oN -EALE To TEE eENEnAL ENGINEERING COMPANY, or sALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A coEroEATIoN 01F UTAH.

GLASSIFIEE. AND DEWATERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, llHtIti.

Application filed May 10', 1915, Serial No. 27,075. Renewed July 25, 1916. Serial No. 111,278.

the constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts which I willhereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which 81mllar reference characters indicate like parts I in the several views; Figure 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of an apparatus of modified form. Fig. 4 is a, cross sectional view of another modification showing the use of my invention, as adrier and defrother on flotation concentrates, and the like. Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating a modified arrangement of flights. Fig. 6 is a further modification.

A leading object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective apparatus for classifying, washing, mixing and dewatering sands and slimes of ore. To this end, I mount upon a suitable foundation or framework, a pan-like structure of suitable diameter and which comprises an inverted cone, or funnel-shaped pan, A, the outer edge or periphery of which is fashioned with an annular trough or launder, A, into which the sands and slimes are delivered, by appropriate conveying means such as flights, or rabbles, as I will hereinafter describe, said annular trough or launder having suitable discharge openings for the delivery of the slimes and sands and to which openings the sands and slimes are conductedbyappropriate flights, or other conveying means, hereinafter described.

At the apical or central portion of the pan, there is provided a vertically extending tube, B, the top of which serves as an overflow edge for the water and fine slimes carried thereby, said tube serving, also, as a means-for maintaining the water level of the pan substantiallyconstant, and the level being such that ,the upper portion of the pan is unsubmerged. The central tube, B, connects with a funnel-shaped lower portion, B, having an outlet through which 'the overflow may be conducted to any suitable point.

Appropriately mounted vertically in line with the central or apical portion of the cone, is a shaft, C, which is designed to be driven by some suitable mechanism, as the worm and worm wheel, K, K, shown, the

lower end of said shaft being appropriately connected to a yoke or frame, I), whose side members are connected to suitable arms, E, which are inclined upwardly from their lower inner ends and are arranged substantially parallel with the inclined surface'of the pan, said arms extending to and above the annular trough or launder, A, which surrounds the periphery of the pan and having their outer extremities connected to appropriate flights or blades, 1B, which operate in said trough or launder and serve to conduct the sands or dewatered material which are delivered into thetrough by the mechanism I will hereinafter describe, along said trough to the discharge openings thereof. Suitable brace rods, G, or the like may be employed to support the outer portion of the arms, if'desired.

The arms, E, of which there may be any desirednumber and which, as before stated,

are connected and carried by the vertical revolving shaft, C, have their under surfaces provided with some suitable form of rabbles, blades, or flights, or equivalent means which are designed to engage and successively advance the sands and slimes up-the inclined surface of the cone and onto the unsubmerged portion, a, thereof and finally into the annular trough or launder.

While I may use rabbles or flights of any desired construction for efiecting the feed of thematerial over the inclined surface of the conical pan and onto and over an unsubmerged portion thereof of substantial area, I prefer for present purposes, that the arms. In other words, each of the flights is,-

preferably, connected about midway of its length to an arm, E, the connection being trough or launder, A, along which they by any'well known means, for 'instance,-by bolts or like fastenings, I, which may pass through the arms and through the flanges or lugs, J, on the flights. Whatever connection is used, it should preferably be such that the flights will pivot or be turnable about the fastening to enable said flights to be adjusted to alter their pitch; that is, to render the flights more orless eccentric to the curvature of the ran, which permits me to vary the amount of material which the flights will take and advance up over the inclined surface of the pan to the unsubmerged portion thereof and finally into the annular trough or launder, A, before mentioned. The flights extend for a considerable dis- I tance fore-and-aft of the arms and the length of these flights may be such that the adjacent ends of successive flights may be disposed in overlapping planes; this lap 0l the distance between the adjacent ends of successive flights may vary according to the different character of the material to be Each of the arms, E, carries aseries of the aforesaidflights and the flights of each series vary in length, the shortest flights being operable over the lower portion of the cone and the other flights rogressively increasing in length to con orm' to the increasing diameter of the portions of the pan over which they operate, and the longest flight-s being disposed near the upper extremity of the inclined surface of said pan and engaging the dewatered material and delivering the same directly into the afore-vsaid annular trough or launder.

In operation, the flights are, preferably, normally set at an angle,- is quite evident that as they are carried around over the inclined surface of the pan, they engage and push aside and progressively crowd the sands and slimes upwardly over the surface of the cone and onto the unsubmergled portion, a, of the same and finally eliver the sands or slimes into the are finally carried to the discharge openings, by means of the flights, F, which are fixed to the outer ends of the arms, E, and which operate in said trough or launder. I

Suitably mounted within the pan and at a "suitable distance above the lowest portion thereof, ,is a feeding device which I have shown for illustrative purposes in the form of an annular. .feed trough, L, into which the sands and slimes are fed from any and, therefore, it i v to a suitable suitably connected to'the arms or otherwise arranged so that it may be rotated in unison with the vertical shaft, which carries said arms.

InFig. 3, I show a modification of the before described apparatus, wherein the ore may be subjected, if desired, to an acid bath, and to this end, the inverted cone, or funnelshaped pan, A, is stepped between its center and circumference to form a gutter likeportion, M, in which a second series of arms, E, with complementary curved or other rabbles or flights, H, operate, said second arms being inclined substantially parallel with the inclined surface of the pan and which pan, as-in Fig. 1, has at its central portion a tubular discharge member, B substantially as before mentioned in connection with the form of device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When using the stepped pan: of Fig. 3, each of the inclined portions of the pan will be provided with a suitable feeding device which may be in the form of an annular feed trough, L, L, substantially as described for Fig. 1, said troughs being so'connected to the vertical shaft that they are carried by the latter in unison with the arms, which have secured to them the curved flights or conveyers before mentioned, and one of which troughs, say the one, L, which operates in the upper portion of the pan, being supplied with a suitable acid, when the pulp is to be subjected to acid treatment. In this case the sands and slimes are rabbled or conveyed out of the water and upwardly over a submerged inclined surface of the pan and they are discharged into the acid bath in the gutter, M, formed by the stepped portion of the pan and are finally rabbled or conveyed out of the acid bath and upwardly over an unsubmerged portion of the pan and delivered over the periphery thereof into the annular trough or launder before mentioned. v

In Fig. 6, an apparatus is shown wherein a series of the aforesaid conical pans, or trays are nested or mounted one above the other, eachof the pans having its central overflow communicating one with the other and the several pans deliver their overflow be used, if desired, and particularly where space is an important consideration.

The apparatus disclosed in Fig. 4 possesses the leading characteristics of those before mentioned, but in this instance the apparatus may also be used as a drier and depoint, which arrangement may 5 menses :frother on flotation concentrates, or any other concentrates. The apparatus of Fig.

.4, includes the inverted cone-shaped pan,

A and the vertical shaft G with its arms, E and curved flights, H substantially as before described, said pan having, also, a suitable spray pipe, N, which isdesigned to.

suitable return pipe, 6, may lead. In this case the radial arms with their rabbles or flights, H advance the sands or slimes out of the water and onto and over the part of the inclined surface which is not submerged and finally onto and over the upper inclined surfa-ceof the steam jacket, and whichlatter surface acts as a hot plate or drier for the particles which pass thereover.

The general operation. of the foregoing types of machine is as follows: The ulp is delivered to the inclinedsurface 0 the pan and is distributed by the annular trough in the path of the revolvingarms with'their curvedflights The solids or heavy material settle on the inclined surface of the pan and arethenceconveyedor rabbled up the said surface and ontoan unsubmerged part thereof and are, finally dischargedover the top edge of the pan, and into the annular trough or launder. During this operation the water and some solids overflow the topedge of the central tube which forms an,

overflow for the fluid. matter and also a means for preserving the level of the liquid contents of the pan.

Having thus described my invention what l. claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: I I v 1. Apparatus of the character described, havingin combination, a stationary pan of substantially funnel-shape in cross section, said pan having a receiving trough for solids surrounding its outer edge and having an overflow for liquid and fine slimes in the center? of its bottom; and revolubly mounted members disposed over the in.- clined surface of the pan having longitudinally curved centrally mounted-flights operable therewith over said surface and er ranged substantially in spiral form and adapted to progressively move sands and slimes upwardly over said surface, said overflowbeing sufficiently above the bottom of the pan and below the plane of the top edge thereof as to leave a drying surface of substantial area over which solids are advanced to said receiving trough, said flights adapted to impart a prolonged particle travel both in the liquid and-over the submerged drying portion of the pan.

2. Apparatus of the character described having in combination, a stationary pan of substantially funnel-shape in cross section, said pan having a receiving trough for solids surroundingits outer edge and having a tube extending upwardly from thecenterof its bottom and forming an overflow; for liquid andfine slimes and for preserving a fluid level in the. pan, said overflow being disposed a suflicient distance below the top edgeof the pan to leave a dryng surface of'substantial area overwhich the solids are advanced; and members disposedover the inclined surface of the pan having longitudinally curved flights operflable over said surface and adapted to pro-- gressively move sands and slimes u wardly over said surface-and overthe unsu merged drying portion thereof and into said trough, said flightsbeing arranged in substantially spiral form and operating to impart aprolonged travel of the ore particles over both the submerged and unsubmerged portions of the pan.

I 3. Apparatus of the character described having in combination, a stationary pan of 1 substantially funnel-shapein cross section,

said pan having a' receiving trough for solids surrounding its outer edge'and having a tube extending upwardly from the .Oenterof its bottom and forming an over: flow for liquid, and fine slimes and for preserving a fluid level in the pan, said overflow being disposed a suff cient distance below the top edge of the pan'to leave a drying surface of substantial area over which the solids are advanced; and members disposed.

portion thereof and into said trough, said flights being arranged in substantially spiral form and operating to impart a prolonged travel of the ore particles; overboth the submerged and unsubmerged portions of the pan, the adjacent ends of successiveflights being arranged in overlapping planes.

t. In apparatus of the character ide scribed, the combination ofa pan having an inclined surface and having a: receiving "rough for solids at one portion and an overflow and discharge'for liquid and fine slimes at an opposite portion, arms disposed over the inclined surface of the pan, longitudinally curved flights extending fore and aft of said arms, said overflow being sufficiently above the bottom of the pan and belovv the plane of the top edge thereof as to leave a drying surface of substantial area at the top over Which solids are advanced, and means pivotally connecting the central portions of the flights to said arms whereby the flights may be angularly adjusted relatively to the arms, said flights adapted to impart a prolonged travel to the ore particlesboth in the liquid and over the unsubcurved centrally mounted flights operable therewith .over said surface and arranged substantially in spiral form and adapted to progressively move sands and slimes upwardly over said surface, said overflow being sufiiciently above the bottom of the pan and below the plane of the top edge thereof as to leave a drying surface of substantial area over which solids are advanced to said receiving trough, said flights adapted to impart a prolonged particle travel both in the liquid and over the submerged drying-portion of the pan and an annular feed trough movable With said members and having outlets adapted to deliver material upon the inclined surface of the pan.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' WALKER J. BOUDWIN. 

